The Orangutans of Kalimantan and Beautiful Bali

15 days from £2990 per person

Combining the key sites of cultural Bali with the Orangutan inhabited forests of Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo, this itinerary covers two of the country’s most popular and diverse islands. Start your journey in Kalimantan, explore aboard your own private river boat the tropical rainforests that make up much of this uncharted island, visit an Orangutan research centre and, if lucky, you will have the opportunity to see these beautiful creatures in the wild. Leaving Kalimantan fly to Bali and explore Ubud and Candidasa – the cultural heart of the island – before relaxing by the sea at Sanur.

Route: Jakarta – Kumai – Kapuas River Cruise – Denpasar – Ubud – Candidasa – Sanur

Itinerary Highlights

Tanjung Puting National Park is located in the southwest corner of Kalimantan, Borneo. It is renowned for its orangutan conservation and many other exotic flora and fauna.

The island of Kalimantan has one of the most diverse natural habitats on the planet. Aside from orangutan, numerous species are supported including gibbon and clouded leopard.

One of Bali’s holiest temples, Tirta Gangga is located north of Candidasa. Sacred to Hindus, the complex is known for its water features and offers fine views back towards the coast.

Itinerary: The Orangutans of Kalimantan and Beautiful Bali

Day 1 Depart the UK

Depart the UK on the Singapore Airlines flight non-stop to Singapore. (N)

Day 2 Arrive Singapore/ Singapore to Jakarta – by air

Arrive into Singapore and connect onto the Singapore Airlines flight to Jakarta. On arrival you will be met and transferred to a nearby airport hotel. A vast urban metropolis, Jakarta is a bewildering, bustling, cosmopolitan city and the political heart of the nation. (N)

Accommodation in Jakarta: FM7 Hotel (or similar)

Day 3 Jakarta to Pangkalanbun – by air/ Pangkalanbun to Kumai – 25kms

After breakfast fly to Pangkalanbun in Kalimantan which forms part of the Indonesian portion of Borneo. On arrival in Pangkalanbun you will be met and taken to Kumai where you will board a traditional Klotok River Boat for a three night cruise on the Kapuas River. The vessel will be for your private use and you will be looked after by the captain, cook and local guide. For the remainder of the afternoon slowly cruise the river searching for wildlife as you enter Tanjung Puting National Park. (B/L/D)

Accommodation: onboard cruise

Day 4 Kapuas River

This morning you will cruise on to Pondok Tanguy to visit a rehabilitation centre for recently orphaned orangutans. From here continue by river to Camp Leakey where older orangutans are re-introduced into the wild then take a guided trek to explore the surrounding rainforest. Home to gibbon, wild orangutan, macaque, deer and clouded leopard, crocodile, monitor lizard and a huge number of bird species, Tanjung Puting is one of the most biologically diverse in the world. End the afternoon at an orangutan feeding station then return to your river boat. (B/L/D)

Accommodation: onboard cruise

Day 5 Kapuas River

Today continue to cruise the Kapuas River stopping along the way to follow trail on foot into the thick jungle of the national park. Tanjung Puting was originally created as a wildlife sanctuary by the Dutch in the latter half of the 1930s gaining national park status and UNESCO recognition three decades later. Tanjung Putting remains one of the best places in the world to see primates in the wild. (B/L/D)

Accommodation: onboard cruise

Day 6 Kumai to Pangkalanbun – 25kms/ Pangkalanbun to Denpasar via Surabaya – by air

This morning return to Kumai where you will disembark your river boat and travel the short distance by road to the airport for the flight to Surabaya. Here connect onto a further flight to Denpasar in Bali. (B)

Accommodation in Denpasar: Puri Santrian Hotel (or similar)

Day 7 Denpasar

At leisure to relax and enjoy your hotel. (B)

Accommodation in Denpasar: Puri Santrian Hotel (or similar)

Day 8 Denpasar to Ubud – 30kms

Today drive to Ubud, the artistic and cultural heart of Bali. Later with your driver and guide visit Batubulan village to attend a Barong and Keris dance performance then head to the handicraft villages of Celuk, Bataan and Mas which are noted for their carvers, gold and silversmiths, hand weavers and painters. A visit will also be made to the Goa Gajah or ‘Elephant Cave’, a Hindu meditation centre dating back to the 11th century, and the Tampak Siring temple dating from 984 AD where the holy springs are thought to have mystical powers. End your day with panoramic views of the still active Mt Batur volcano and Lake Batur and the surrounding rice terraces. (B)

Accommodation in Ubud: The Samaya

Alternative option: Komaneka Rasa Sayang

Day 9 Ubud

This morning visit Royal Taman Ayun, a beautiful Hindu temple with distinctive Balinese architecture. Continue to the UNESCO protected Jatiluwih rice terraces and take an easy walk through the fields whilst learning about the subak irrigation system which is unique to the island. After lunch visit a local market and buy tropical fruit and spices before ending the day at Lake Bratan to view the beautiful Ulun Danu Temple. (B/L)

Accommodation in Ubud: The Samaya

Alternative option: Komaneka Rasa Sayang

Day 10 Ubud to Candidasa – 50kms

Depart for Candidasa on the east coast of Bali. Drive to Penglipuran to see a genuine example of a Balinese village before continuing onto the beautiful Besakih temple – the holiest site on Bali. Besakih is not one temple but a complex of twenty-two temples that lie scattered over the southern slopes of Mount Agung. The most important temple of all is the Pura Penataran Agung, the Mother Temple of Bali. Continue on to Candidasa stopping at Kerta Gosa to see the Hall of Justice dating from the 18th century it noted to be a fine example of Balinese architecture. The ceilings of two pavilions are richly decorated with traditional-style paintings made by artists from nearby villages. (B/L)

Accommodation in Candidasa: Puri Bagus Hotel (or similar)

Day 11 Candidasa

In the morning leave Candidasa and visit the water palaces at Taman Ujung and Tirta Gangga. Later take a guided walk from Kastela to Tenganan which offers an excellent insight into rural life on the island. Despite being ‘off the beaten track’, the walk is not strenuous and offers fantastic views of the rice terraces before ending in Tenganan, a traditional ikat weaving village. (B)

Accommodation in Candidasa: Puri Bagus Hotel (or similar)

Day 12 Candidasa to Sanur – 50kms

This morning you will be at leisure. In the afternoon return south towards Denpasar to Sanur where you will stay for two nights at the Tandjung Sari Hotel. (B)

Accommodation in Sanur: Tandjung Sari Hotel (or similar)

Day 13 Sanur

At leisure to relax before your journey home. (B)

Accommodation in Sanur: Tandjung Sari Hotel (or similar)

Day 14 Denpasar to Singapore/ Singapore to the UK

Later today transfer by car to Denpasar airport for your Singapore Airlines flight to the UK via Singapore. (B)

Day 15 Arrive in the UK

Arrive this morning in the UK. (N)

**KEY: N = No meals, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

What's included

International flights from the UK
Domestic flights
Private car and driver
Sightseeing with local English speaking guides
Wildlife viewing with local naturalist
Hotel accommodation and taxes

What's not included

Cost of visas
Travel Insurance
Expenses of a personal nature

Guide to Price

The above price is based on two people travelling together and sharing accommodation in low season. The price is only a guide and can vary according to selected airlines, hotels and date of travel. If you wish to travel with your family, friends or on your own we will be very happy to assist you with your arrangements.

The Orangutans of Kalimantan and Beautiful Bali

15 days from £2990 per person

Itinerary Highlights

Itinerary: The Orangutans of Kalimantan and Beautiful Bali

What To Do Next?

What's included

What's not included

Guide to Price

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